Impatiens plant named ‘Fisvision’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Fisvision’, characterized by the combined features of light-yellow flower color RHS 8 B; medium-sized, cup-shaped, zygomorphic flowers with a short spur; uniform, medium green foliage, elliptically shaped; medium sized, low and wide, rounded, compact and well-branched plant habit; early flowering response; rich and continuously flowering; and strong resistance to heat and excellent tolerance of higher fertilizer levels/salt concentrations in the soil.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: A hybrid ofthe genus Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri×Impatiens auricoma).

Variety denomination: ‘Fisvision’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of the genusImpatiens, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisvision’.

‘Fisvision’ is a product of a planned breeding program and originatesfrom an inter-specific hybridization made by the inventor, BirgitHofmann, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in2000. The main objective of the breeding program was to introduce thenovel trait of yellow flower color into the New Guinea Impatiens group.

The female parent was a New Guinea Impatiens hybrid seedling, no.K00-6158-1 (unpatented, proprietary plant material), characterized byround, white flowers, ever-flowering, deep green foliage for awhite-flowered variety, elliptically shaped leaves, round and bushyplant habit, and medium growth vigor.

The male parent was an unnamed Impatiens auricoma plant of commercialorigin (unpatented) with brilliant golden-yellow flowers, and a galeatedcorolla, roughly reminiscent of Aconitum flowers (buttercup family). Thefoliage of the male parent Impatiens auricoma plant is grass-green,narrow, and elliptically shaped. Its growth habit is vigorous andupright, and it has few branches initially.

Flowers of the female parent were pollinated by the above describedImpatiens auricoma plant, which usually led to abscission of the ovariesbefore maturity of the seed capsules. Therefore, a few days afterfertilization, the ovules with immature embryos were transferred intotissue culture. After a few months of development, 27 plantlets weresuccessfully transferred into soil and grown in a greenhouse in thespring of 2001. These plants were found to be variable with respect tobranching ability, the number of flowers developed, and presence orabsence of leaf deformation. ‘Fisvision’ was discovered and selected bythe inventor, as one flowering plant within the progeny in a greenhousein Hillscheid, Germany, in August 2001.

The first act of vegetative reproduction of ‘Fisvision’ was accomplishedwhen cuttings were taken from the initial selection in September, 2001,in a controlled environment in Hillscheid, Germany, by, or under thesupervision of the inventor.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in the spring of 2002, in Hillscheid, Germany, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘Fisvision’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘Fisvision’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length,without, however, any variation in genotype. The following observations,measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid,Federal Republic of Germany under greenhouse conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of “Fisvision”, which in combinationdistinguish this impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. light-yellow flower color RHS 8 B;

2. medium-sized, cup-shaped, zygomorphic flowers with a short spur;

3. uniform, medium green foliage, elliptically shaped;

4. medium sized, low and wide, rounded, compact and well-branched planthabit;

5. early flowering response, rich and continuously flowering; and

6. strong resistance to heat and excellent tolerance of higherfertilizer levels/salt concentrations in soil for Impatiens.

As ‘Fisvision’ is an inter-specific hybrid, there is no very closevariety for comparison purposes, other than the parental cultivars. Incontrast to the female parent, seedling no K00-6158-1, ‘Fisvision’ haslight yellow, instead of white, flower color, and the flower shape andsize is different. Flowers of ‘Fisvision’ are smaller, about ⅔ thirdsthe size, and the flower shape is cup-shaped and zygomorphic, not flator rounded. The shape, size and color of the leaves of both the femaleparent and the instant plant are similar. Lastly, ‘Fisvision’ has asimilar plant shape to that of the female parent, but grows somewhatmore slowly and stays more compact.

In comparison to the male parent, which has deep yellow, and nearlyclosed, galeated corolla, ‘Fisvision’ has a lighter yellow flower colorand more open, cup-shaped corolla and a longer spur. It also has adeeper green foliage color, and plant habit is not erect, but bushy andrelatively low, with distinctly less vigorous growth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Fisvision’ with colors being as true as possiblewith illustrations of this type. The drawing shows a full side view of apotted ‘Fisvision’ plant at 3 months.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (1986 edition). The color values anddescription were determined indoors in May, 2002, from plants grown inHillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The plants were planted as rooted cuttings into 12 cm pots in earlyMarch and grown in temperatures of 18° C. at night, to 20-22° C. duringthe day. The measurements and most observations were made at thebeginning of flowering, about 10 weeks later, from early to mid May.

Plant:

Plant habit.—Relatively compact, wide and low, uniformly mounded, andwell-branched.

Growth vigor.—Medium, though weak at the outset of flowering.

Height.—16.5 cm.

Width.—29.5 cm.

Internode length.—15-20 mm.

Stem color.—Mainly green, RHS 147 B with brown infused, approximatelyRHS 166 B.

Flowering response.—9-10 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.

Flowering season.—Almost year-round in a greenhouse, depending on lightintensity.

Propagation.—Terminal shoot tips for cuttings.

Rooting.—Sufficiently rooted for transplanting after about 18-21 days at22° C. temperature.

Disease resistance.—Resistance and/or susceptibility to diseases andpests was in no way different from other New Guinea Impatiens varieties.

Heat tolerance.—Better than most New Guinea Impatiens varieties.

Foliage:

Arrangement.—Primarily in whorls.

Shape.—Elliptic, with acute base and acute to acuminate tip, surfacedull to slightly glossy, smooth or slightly rugose.

Margin.—Weakly serrated and ciliated.

Leaf blade length.—68 mm.

Leaf blade width.—31 mm.

Upper surface leaf color.—Medium green. Mature leaves: RHS 143 A. Youngleaves: RHS 143 B. Veins: Light green, RHS 144 B. Variegation: None.

Lower surface leaf color.—RHS 143 C (both young and mature leaves).Veins: Light green with brownish pink infusion, approximately betweenRHS 144 B and 174 D.

Petiole.—Length: 0 to 2 mm, almost sessile. Color: Upper sidebrownish-pink, RHS 174 D, lower side between RHS 144 B and 174 D.

Inflorescence:

Flower.—Single flower on peduncles, arranged in whorls around the nodes,appear close to the surface of the foliage canopy.

Number of flowers per node.—6-8, in various stages of development, oftenmore than one flower or bud per leaf axil.

Corolla form.—Single-type, 5 petals.

Corolla shape.—Zygomorphic, cup-shaped, the overlapping petals form aroughly triangular outline; the lower petals on each side are fused atthe base.

Corolla diameter.—Average length: 41 mm. Average width: 35 mm. Averagedepth: 17 mm.

Petals:

Upper petal.—Nearly round, concave shape, with entire margin; 20 mmlong, 22 mm wide, smooth, velvety texture.

Lateral and lower petals.—Heart-shaped, attenuate base, apex weaklylobed (marginate), margins of lower petals with a few irregularincisions, may appear slightly fringed aspect almost flat; average size20 mm long, 18-20 mm wide; smooth, velvety texture.

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).—Light yellow.Main color of upper surface: RHS 8 B; may fade to RHS 8C or 8D, mainlyduring periods with very high light intensity.

Color near petal bases.—RHS 9 A.

Color of inner markings.—RHS 30 A (weak).

Color of lower surface, main part.—RHS 8 C, crest RHS 39 B.

Calyx.—Largest sepal yellow, between RHS 12 C and 12 D.

Spur.—Usually one spur per flower, occasionally two more, shorter onesemerge from the smaller sepals, 25 mm long, diameter 2-3 mm at the base,0.5 to 1 mm near the tip, greenish yellow in color, RHS 154 A.

Pedicel.—Dull green, RHS 146 D; 30 mm length, 2 mm diameter.

Buds.—Ovoid to trigonus (three-corned), with crest (keel) and spur,light green RHS 144 C and yellow, RHS 8A to 8B, 17 mm long, 14 mm indiameter.

Reproductive organs:

Androecium:

Stamens.—5 in number, fused, upper surface color is mainly pale yellow,RHS 8C in color, about 7 mm in length.

Anthers.—Hooded, color about RHS 8 C.

Pollen.—Whitish-yellow, about RHS 8 D.

Gynoecium:

Styles and stigmata.—Five in number, very short, about RHS 4D in color.

Ovary.—5-celled, 7-9 mm long, surface color deep green, RHS 137 D.

Seed set and fertility: Although the organs appear normal, no seed setwas observed (nor achieved after pollination), and pollen was found tobe sterile when examined in laboratory.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named‘Fisvision’, as described and illustrated herein.